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Couple Open Iceland-Inspired Cafe in UK

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Couple Open Iceland-Inspired Cafe in UK

Chris and Lisa Whitear recently opened 101 Reykjavik, an Icelandic-style cafe bar in Southsea, the U.K. IRcontributor Edward Hancox wrote about the café in a column on Iceland Review Online last week and the couple were also featured in The Portsmouth News on Wednesday.

The café sells Icelandic hot dogs and skyr, as well as Icelandic beer, and plays Icelandic music.

The couple first visited Iceland in 2009 and have been hooked on the country ever since. “It was such an unusual place and we just fell in love with it … Every year we’ve gone back we’ve taken more friends and we all said, why aren’t there kaffibars in the U.K.?” Lisa told The Portsmouth News.

According to Chris (aka 'Wit'), who runs the University of Portsmouth’s music studios as well as a record label, there are similarities between Reykjavík and Southsea. “They both have lots of independent bars and restaurants, and arts and culture are very important.”

The café also runs a weekly event, The Thursday Þing, which features films, performances and talks. Hancox recently spoke about this book Iceland, Defrosted at the event.